Though there were no reports of leopards attacking a single pilgrim during the Char Dham Yatra, locals fear that dead bodies lying in various places especially in the Kedar Valley might increase the possibility of a leopard developing taste for human flesh if the bodies are not cremated soon.
leopards are known to scavenge on human bodies at times generally in areas where their natural food is scarce or where the bodies prove to be a convenient food source for aged or injured leopards.The notorious man-eating leopard of Rudraprayag, reputed to have killed more than 125 humans before being shot by Jim Corbett, was also believed to have developed a taste for human flesh scavenging on bodies thrown into the river during the influenza epidemic which hit India in 1918.
More than 1,200 people have perished in disaster-affected areas in Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts and other areas. While many bodies are buried in debris, many have fallen into the river and flowed down to Haridwar where they were recovered. Some locals claim to have seen a leopard or two feeding on human bodies near Gaurikund, raising concern about the probability of the tragedy providing ground for turning a leopard man-eater.
Chief conservator of forests, Garhwal circle, Gambhir Singh said that the possibility of a leopard turning man-eater is very small though it cannot be ruled out. “Following reports of leopards being sighted scavenging on human bodies, I had contacted all the divisional forest officers concerned to check on this and they told me that there were no such sightings in their knowledge. Bodies lying in areas like Gaurikund, Badrinath and Sonprayag are to be cremated without delay for which the department is also providing free firewood. Possibility of a leopard scavenging on bodies in such areas is slim but it is nearly impossible to check if a leopard eats a corpse in uninhabited areas or on desolate river banks,” said Singh while adding that the issue is being discussed in the department in spite of the slim chances of a leopard turning man-eater after scavenging on the human corpses.
Wildlife Protection Society of India, Uttarakhand in-charge Rajendra Agrawal said that he had heard about people sighting leopards eating corpses but could not confirm these sightings. However, the bodies should be cremated without delay to avert the possibility of a big cat developing liking for human flesh, he stressed.